1. Module 7: Microsoft Azure Sales Resources
Thank you for taking the time to view this training session. In this session, we will provide an overview of Microsoft Azure sales tools and resources.

2. Useful links Azure Partner Training Channel 9 Azure Training Kit
Azure Product Blogs
Cloud Platform Competency
Stories
StorSimple
Azure Partner Community Blog
Content that gets presented at Microsoft’s TechEd events gets posted to Channel 9. You can access Channel 9 by going to
Use the search term “Azure.”
If your technical people have not downloaded the Azure Training Kit, encourage them to do so. It is the best starter kit you could use. It has labs, exercises, white papers, and demos. Everything is in there whether it’s Active Directory, SharePoint, SQL Server content, storage information, backup content, and more. The web address is too long to read, but you can download the PowerPoint file associated with this video and access the link.
All the announcements we do are posted in the Azure product blogs. Go to
The Cloud Platform Competency is where to get the competency for your company. The Azure competency is now called Cloud Platform Competency. For the English site, go to
Or you can download the PowerPoint file to access the link. For international sites, go to mspartner.Microsoft.com and look for information on the Cloud Platform Competency.
Customer references, the StorSimple site, and the Partner Community blog is where much information goes out to the community. We have monthly technical Azure hours for our partners and that is communicated through the blog. These are webinars that we hold for our partners. The address for customer stories in English is

3. Azure Friday
Microsoft also hosts “Azure Friday” for technical people. You can view these sessions on Channel 9.

4. Windows Server 2003 migration assistant
The Windows Server 2003 migration assistant is a tool you can download and run for your customer. If you haven’t done this, you should probably start here and build your whole offering around it.

5. Microsoft Azure (IaaS) Cost Estimator Tool V1.0
Features
Value Proposition
Capabilities
Profiles real-world machine hardware usage
Recommends appropriate Azure instance
Generates 30-day cost estimates
Supports
Microsoft technologies (Hyper-V, SCVMM)
VMware technologies (vCenter, ESXi)
Physical environments (Win/Linux)
Exports output to Excel / .csv for discussions with SI Partner or Microsoft representative
No data is sent to Microsoft at any time
Install and run a profile scan in 15 minutes (deployable on Windows clients)
Compare with legacy on- premises costs
Establish economic business case for Azure early in the sales cycle
Features
Screenshot
I mentioned earlier the cost estimator tool. You download and install it at the customer site. It picks up the inventory of all the virtual; machines in the environment, plus all the Windows servers that are running. You can incorporate that in a really nice report that you can get paid for or refunded to deliver a return-on-investment analysis of how much money they’ll be saving by moving those workloads into the cloud.
This V1.0 release is meant for use within the United States only
Download
Contact
Contact
DISCLAIMER | MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION PRESENTED BY THE TOOL. THE OUTPUT IS INTENDED TO BE USED AS GUIDANCE ONLY

6. Azure VM readiness assessment
The Azure VM readiness assessment tool is a similar tool without the ROI component of it. It allows you to analyze all the virtual machines and report on their readiness for loading up into Azure.

7. Introducing the new cloud performance path
Let me take a few moments to introduce the new cloud performance path.

8. Your success is the key to entry
9/17/2018
Your success is the key to entry
Enter at the Silver level at no cost*
Enter at the Silver level at no cost
Enter at the Gold level at reduced fee
Enter at the Gold level at reduced fee
We are introducing three new competencies for Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Azure that you can qualify for through your proven cloud performance.
Unlock the benefits of partnership by simply growing your Cloud business
Proven cloud performance
Cloud Productivity
Grow your Cloud business
Pass technical exam
Unlimited cloud support
Additional internal use rights and Azure development and test environments
Partner incentives and access to special offers
Guaranteed account management at the Gold level
Priority placement in Pinpoint marketplace
Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions
Customer references & satisfaction
We are introducing new competencies for Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Azure that you can qualify for through your proven cloud performance. Partners who attain the new Cloud Performance competencies will earn the silver level at no cost and will receive gold level at a reduced price. Partners who qualify will receive a host of benefits that include:
• Unlimited Cloud support
• Additional internal-use rights and development and test environments
• Partner incentives and access to special offers
• Guaranteed field or tele management at the gold level
Now that the cloud is being fully integrated into the Microsoft Partner Network, the Cloud Accelerate, Cloud Deployment Partners , and Azure Circle programs will be retired and partners will have a path to migrate into three new cloud performance competencies:
Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions: For partners selling Microsoft Office 365 to small and mid-market customers.
Cloud Productivity: For partners deploying Microsoft Office 365 for enterprise customers.
Cloud Platform: For partners who specialize in delivering infrastructure and SaaS solutions on Microsoft Azure.
If you are a Cloud Accelerate or Cloud Deployment partner who meets the cloud performance thresholds for the Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions or Cloud Productivity competencies, you will be granted the silver level of those competencies for one year. Partners will have to meet all additional competency requirements (such as customer references, customer satisfaction, and technical assessments) to renew at the end of the 12-month period. Partners will need to meet the new eligibility requirements to qualify for the gold level.
 If you are an Azure Circle partner who meets the cloud performance threshold for the Cloud Platform competency, you will be granted the silver level of that competency for one year. Partners will have to meet all additional competency requirements (such as customer references, customer satisfaction, and technical assessments) to renew at the end of that year. Partners will need to meet all the new eligibility requirements to qualify for the gold level.
Cloud Platform
*Silver entry fee promotional through June 30, 2015
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

9. Cloud platform Silver Gold Requirements Benefits
9/17/2018
Cloud platform
Silver
Gold
$25,000 ($15,000 in developing markets) customer and/or partner EA consumption and Open sales*
$100,000 customer and/or partner EA consumption and Open sales*
3 unique Microsoft Azure customer references*
5 unique Microsoft Azure customer references*
Requirements
One certified individual
Two certified individuals
Gold competency fee at reduced rate
Eligibility to participate in Azure Special Offers
Priority Placement in Pinpoint Marketplace
The Azure Circle program was retired on September 29, Azure Circle has now migrated to a cloud competency. For Azure, we call it Cloud Platform Competency.
The Cloud Platform is for partners who specialize in delivering infrastructure and SaaS solutions on Microsoft Azure.
In order to qualify at the silver level, partners must have $25,000 in Azure consumption or Azure Partner EA purchased and Open sales or $15,000 if you are a partner in a developing market. At the gold level, partners must have $100,000 in Azure consumption and Open sales.
At the silver level, one individual must pass technical exams and must have three unique Azure customer references to qualify. There is no entry fee at the silver level.
At the gold level, two individuals must pass technical exams and must have five unique Azure customer references to qualify. There is a fee at the gold level.
All Cloud Platform partners will receive priority placement on the Pinpoint marketplace.
In addition to the core $100 per month Azure consumption benefit, silver partners will receive an additional $250 per month Azure credit. Gold partners will earn the $100 per month consumption benefit plus $500 per month Azure credit.
Unlimited Signature Cloud Support
Benefits
Microsoft Azure IURs - $100/mo. consumption plus $250/mo. credit
Microsoft Azure IURs - $100/mo. consumption plus $500/mo. credit
Eligible for Azure Deployment Planning Services
Guaranteed account management
*Silver entry fee promotional through June 30, 2015
* within the previous 12 months
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

10. Step 1: How to apply for cloud platform competency
Click Here
Let’s review how to apply. Go to the Partner Membership Center within the Microsoft Partner Network. On the screen to Manage Competencies, click on the link for the Gold (or Silver) Cloud Platform.

11. Step 2: How to apply for cloud platform competency
This is why you want to track all your current and past Azure projects…
Add in information related to Azure consumption.

12. Step 3: How to apply for cloud platform competency
After you click Submit on the pop up window, you are taken back to this screen. It may take up to 2 days for Microsoft to review your application.

13. Microsoft is investing in your business
9/17/2018
Microsoft is investing in your business
Taking the first step into cloud and hybrid services is challenging. The skillset required to drive customers is different than traditional deployment work. Partners must review their business model and invest in resources to make the necessary changes.
Because this first step is the hardest, we’re changing our approach to integrating cloud into the Microsoft Partner Network in 4 ways to make it easier for partners to take this step with us. 1 2
Waiving your first year competency fee for Silver cloud competencies 
Enhancing your internal use rights for Office 365 and Azure
Taking the first step into cloud and hybrid services takes investment. The skillset required to drive customers is different than traditional deployment work. You have to review your business model and invest in resources to make the necessary changes. In the first year, this first step on the road to recurring revenue is the hardest. In order to make it easier for you, the Microsoft Partner Network is changing our approach to integrating cloud into our competencies in 4 ways, which will free you up to invest in your business.
First, we are waiving your first year entry into the silver cloud competencies to help free up some resource for that investment and we are making the primary eligibility requirement your ability to drive assigned or active seats on Office 365 and Microsoft Azure consumption.  So while we will still provide you with exams and assessments to enable you to skill up, the primary measure of your eligibility will be your success with customers. 
And if you have already taken that first step, we are going to grant the new cloud performance competencies to partners who have already met the performance eligibility targets. 
Second, we want to enable you to use the cloud services and increase your personal credibility through your own experiences, so we are enhancing the internal use rights for Office 365 and Azure. 
Third, we are providing you with unlimited cloud support through our new Signature Cloud Support offering to help you take your first steps fully supported by us. In the months ahead, we will extend our new performance path to the cloud to CRM Online, giving you the ability to build Office 365, Azure and CRM Online cloud and hybrid practices. 
And the value is not just for cloud competency partners. The entry fee for all on-premises competencies will be cut by up to 10%. This is just a first step – we intend to continue looking for ways to lower the cost of doing business with us for EVERY partner.
Hopefully these 4 investments will help you take your first steps in building your cloud and hybrid practices and unlocking that year 2 recurring revenue stream.   3
Providing you with unlimited cloud support to keep you and your partners up and running 4
Reducing the fees for on-premises competencies by up to 10%. 
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

14. New benefits for hybrid competencies
9/17/2018
New benefits for hybrid competencies
To help our partners gain expertise in the cloud, we are offering Signature Cloud Support—our exclusive break-fix solution for cloud partners who are working in customer environments—in 10 competencies.
Signature Cloud Support Gold - 10 incidents for Office 365 and Azure Silver – 5 incidents for Office 365 and Azure
Advisory packages that provide partners more customized support options:
Office 365 Deployment Shadowing: 
Application Development
Collaboration and Content
Communication
Datacenter
Small
Business
Messaging
Midmarket Solution Provider
Data Platform
Labs on Azure:
Cloud is now at the core of the Microsoft Partner Network, and to help our partners gain expertise in the cloud, we are offering a new layer of support –
Signature Cloud Support -- for 10 hybrid competencies 
Signature Cloud Support is our exclusive break-fix solution that supports cloud partners who are working in customer environments. Beginning in September, partners who earn the gold level for one of these competencies, they will have access to 10 incidents of Signature Cloud Support for Office 365 and Azure. For those partners who earn the silver level, they will have access to 5 Signature Cloud Support incidents for Office 365 and Azure. This is an addition to the existing core technical benefits.
In addition, we are now offering Advisory packages that allow partners to choose the support option that meets the needs for their teams and customers. The packages are:
Office 365 Deployment Shadowing
Labs on Azure
Modernize your Datacenter
Project and
Portfolio Management
Modernize your Datacenter:
Devices and
Deployment
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

15. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to view this module. We encourage you to review the other Microsoft Azure sales training modules.